The present invention relates generally to retail systems and, more particularly, to a retail customer terminal/workstation.
The retail industry has been using various clerk-assisted retail check-out systems for many years. These existing systems, known in the art as legacy systems, are still in use in many retail stores. Such systems generally include a central database/server and a plurality of clerk-assisted workstations that are in electronic communication with the central database/server via a local area network (LAN) such as a token ring type LAN. The clerk-assisted workstations usually include a bar-code (UPC or Universal Product Code) scanner, a cash-register, a credit/debit card reader, a check reader, a receipt printer, and a small display such as a 2xc3x9720 text display, LCD (liquid crystal display), or small CRT (cathode ray tube). The clerk manually scans products through the scanner to obtain a price and product description for payment and generation of a customer receipt.
The item price and description are stored in the central database as a price/product look-up (PLU) table. Once the product is scanned, the UPC is located in the PLU table to return the price and product description. As each product is scanned, a customer receipt is generated. The display that typically is provided at each clerk-assisted workstation may allow the clerk and/or customer to view the price and product description as each product is scanned.
Payment options for such legacy systems typically include cash, check, and credit/debit card. A magnetic strip type card reader is generally provided for reading the credit/debit card. As well, a check scanner/reader is typically used to read the check account number for check clearance verification by an outside vendor/service. Payment is tendered manually with the clerk assisting in the transaction.
One problem with such legacy systems is that they are limited in functionality by their existing architecture. Many legacy systems also utilize proprietary or out-of-date interfaces. As such, these legacy systems cannot take advantage of current advances in retail technology. Another problem with such legacy systems is that they are focused on aiding and/or benefiting the clerk or cashier rather than on aiding and/or benefiting the customer.
Today, a number of electronic retail terminals may be used throughout the retail store. For example, the retail store may include a number of point-of-sale (POS) terminals such as traditional assisted (i.e. clerk-operated) checkout terminals. In addition to assisted POS terminals, the retail store may also include a number of unassisted POS terminals such as self-service checkout terminals. Self-service checkout terminals are retail terminals which are operated by a customer without the assistance of a retail clerk. However, these self-service check-out terminals are limited in their functionality. Particularly, such systems typically allow only for the scanning of products, limited payment options, and providing a customer receipt. A small display may be provided that shows a limited or abbreviated description of the product and its price.
Moreover, in addition to POS terminals, the retail store may also include a number of information retail terminals such as kiosk-type devices. Such kiosks are generally located throughout the shopping area of the retail store and are provided to perform various information retail functions such as product demonstration (e.g. an audio/video advertisement), customer data collection (e.g. collecting and maintaining a customer profile database), and in some cases even transaction functions in which a customer may use the kiosk to tender payment for his or her items for purchase. Information retail terminals (kiosks) may be used to display product information to retail customers, or may be used as an interactive retail terminal which provides assistance to customers in response to a customer""s input via a keypad or the like.
However, in retail stores that currently use legacy systems, the owners are generally reluctant to completely cease use of the legacy system and install entirely new systems. This is due in part to the cost associated with removing the legacy system and replacing it with a new system or systems. It is desirable to add new features and/or functionality to legacy systems in order to take advantage of the rapid advances in retail technology. With the cost of replacing the legacy systems currently in place with entirely new systems, it is more feasible to add new devices that utilize current retail technology. A problem, however, with adding new devices is always compatibility.
What is therefore needed is a system that can be intelligently coupled to a legacy system and add additional functionality to the legacy system.
What is further needed is a retail terminal that can be intelligently coupled to a legacy system without modification of the legacy system and add additional functionality to the legacy system.
What is still further needed is a retail terminal that combines various heretofore separate features/functions into an easy to use countertop sized device.
What is even further needed is a retail system that is beneficial to the consumer both in functionality and ease of use.
The present invention provides a retail terminal/customer workstation that consolidates all relevant customer-facing devices into a single, simple console, that is intelligently connectable to a legacy system to provide additional functionality.
The customer service workstation integrates various retail devices and consolidates all of the associated functions of the retail devices and non-associated functions into a single, easy to use workstation. In accordance with one embodiment, the customer service workstation includes a large, touch-screen display, various customer payment devices, and other peripherals in electronic communication with and under the control of a microprocessing unit. The customer service workstation provides a plurality of windows or areas on the display according to the mode of the customer service workstation and/or transaction currently being processed by the customer service workstation. Examples of such screen display areas include an information/advertisement area in communication with the internet, a real-time scale weight display in communication with a peripheral scale, a scrolling receipt area in communication with the scanner and a PLU-type database with automatic receipt generation, a loyalty ID PIN area in communication with a customer database, and a video conference area in communication with a peripheral camera. The customer service workstation is intelligently couplable with existing retail systems in order to supplement the existing retail system and obtain information/data therefrom, as well as provide various payment options.
In one form, the retail terminal comprises a microprocessing unit, a display in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit, a touch-screen in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and overlaying the display, a plurality of peripheral devices each of which is in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit, a port in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and adapted to be coupled to and in electronic communication with an existing retail system, and memory in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and having a plurality of instructions stored therein. The plurality of instructions, when executed by the microprocessing unit, causes the microprocessing unit to cause the display to show a plurality of dynamic retail function areas.
In another form, the present invention is a customer service workstation comprising a microprocessing unit, a display in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit, a touch-screen in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and overlaying the display, a port in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and adapted to be coupled to and in electronic communication with an existing retail system, a server in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and adapted to be connectable to the internet, and memory in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and having a plurality of instructions stored therein. The instructions, which when executed, cause the microprocessing unit to cause the display to be divided into a plurality of windows including a PIN entry area and an internet area, wherein the PIN entry area in conjunction with the touch-screen allows a consumer to securely enter a PIN to access retail account information for the consumer, and the internet area utilizes a web browser to display internet information.
In yet another form, there is provided a method of operating a retail terminal having a microprocessing unit, a display in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit, a first port in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and adapted to be in electronic communication with an existing retail system, a plurality of peripheral devices all of which are in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit and generating peripheral retail data, and memory in electronic communication with the microprocessing unit, the memory having a plurality of instructions stored therein, with the method comprising the steps of executing the plurality of instructions stored in memory by the microprocessing unit, causing the display to be divided into a plurality of retail function areas, and utilizing retail data from the existing retail system via the first and second ports and peripheral retail data.
The present invention improves the consumer""s experience, allows the frequent real-time updating of information to the consumer, streamlines the consumer payment process, doubles as an information and retail/retail check-out terminal, and is intelligently couplable to existing retail systems.